HOW TO BREW SHENG (RAW) PU-ERH TEA CORRECTLY

How to brew Sheng (raw) Pu-erh tea correctly

The answer to the question "how to brew..." is more difficult than it seems. Those who have been drinking tea for a long time and thoughtfully give recommendations, like experienced housewives in the kitchen. The movements are so honed and familiar that everything turns out delicious even "by eye". To help those who are merely on the verge of higher mastery, we write specific recommendations - how, how much, and in what time frame.

The main ingredient of delicious Sheng (raw) pu-erh is time

Pu-erh can be different. If Shen's younger brother, Shu (ripe) pu-erh, feels well after 10 seconds in the Yixing kettle, and after an hour in a thermos, then it is imperative to be careful with Shen. He does not tolerate inattention and negligence and becomes bitter. It is worth missing the moment once, and this bitterness will remain with you until the end of the tea party. Therefore, we share the subtleties and tricks for each method of brewing this tea.

We brew tea in a teapot or gaiwan

If you are brewing a particular tea for the first time, then we advise you to show some more care. This is both for the tea itself and for its brewing. Start with 4 grams of tea per 100 ml of water.

Also, when drinking tea with pressed tea, we recommend using a sieve to reduce the likelihood of excessive bitterness.

Age matters. Young Sheng (raw) pu-erh differs both in taste and in the subtleties of brewing. Choose a pair of puer of different ages for comparison. The older Sheng (raw) pu-erh is, the higher the boiling water temperature is needed and the more tea leaves can be taken. When brewing aged Sheng (raw) pu-erh, we advise you not to allow the water to cool and to pour boiling water over the kettle more often.

Brew Sheng (raw) pu-erh for one-two-three:

Be sure to warm up all the dishes, paying special attention to the kettle / gaiwan;

We advise you to pour out the first tea leaves. You can do this directly in the kettle as well as warm it up.

After infusing for 5-6 seconds and gradually increase the exposure with each brewing for 5 seconds. Sheng (raw) pu-erh are famous for their durability and usually withstand at least 7-8 brews.

We weigh, brew quickly, and enjoy!

and Office version of a tea party: teapot

If you want to brew Sheng (raw) pu-erh in the office, we recommend using the type. It can be safely used in the workplace without fear of soiling or dripping the table, and the internal sieve will save you from additional tools. A teapot, a glass Gong Dao Bei and a sieve in one tool!

Basically, brewing this method does not differ from the method above: we monitor the time and temperature, use boiling water, and do not let the dishes and tea cool down. Take 6-7 grams of tea if you prefer a balanced strength.

Thermos

Unlike Shu puer or hei cha, sheng should be brewed in a thermos with care. Estimate how much you take in your thermos, and measure 1.5 times less. Usually, for Sheng (raw) pu-erh, it is worth taking 5-6 grams per 500 ml of volume.

Cooking sheng in a thermos:

Warm up the thermos – rinse it with boiling water so that the cold walls do not sue the tea;

Before it cools down, throw tea into a thermos and pour boiling water: the older the sheng, the hotter the water.

30 minutes is enough for Shen to infuse in a thermos. Try to choose a whole leaf and do not infuse the tea for more than 3 hours. So you can avoid bitterness!

A cup

The easiest and most relaxing way to brew Chinese tea. There are many Chinese people in Sichuan or Hunan who drink tea directly from a cut glass mug or a large clay mug.

We take a teaspoon of tea for a cup of 200 ml and pour boiling water into it.

Ready!

When the infusion remains in the cup, you can add boiling water again. Thus, the tea can be brewed 2-3 times. Or you can immediately make a large mug of fragrant tea without brewing it.

How to measure tea without scales? There are about 2 grams of tea in a teaspoon without a slide and ~ 3 grams in a teaspoon with a slide.

Tip: Do not use metal sieve balls, because pressed tea will not be able to open and brew properly in them.

And you can also use a gaiwan instead of a cup! This is how they drink tea in Sichuan.

In short, attention and accuracy are the main things when brewing sheng (raw) pu-erh.

Choose high-quality sheng (raw) pu-erh, brew it correctly, and have a delicious tea party!